Tampa Bay Rays

Scott wrote the first part of out 2013 draft preview yesterday by identifying some high floor/low upside pitchers around the Rays' range of draft picks. Today, I'll look at some of the higher upside pitchers that the Rays could draft with their first couple of picks. "High upside" can be difficult to determine. How can you call a high school pitcher who is six years away from the majors a potential impact starter? How about a prep pitcher who throws around 90 mph range currently? The answer is that it is difficult, but there are several signs to look for. Generally speaking, a high upside prospect is one that displays (or has the potential to display) plus tools, or most often in a pitcher's scenario, plus stuff (pitches). The main component to look for is a fastball. Most of these guys either already have a good fastball, or they have the body type or quick arm that indicates that they could have a good fastball in the future. A feel for a breaking ball is also important, while the change up is of lesser importance. It is a held belief that a change up is a pitch that can be learned. As I already mentioned when discussing the fastball, body type helps determine a pitcher's potential. A tall pitcher with a loose arm excites scouts. A powerful build is more important for pitchers further along in the physical development curve. If the player can combine a projectable frame with the potential for plus stuff, then they are deemed "high upside" prospects. There is a lot of subjectivity involved, but in this post, I will use the opinions of online sources such as Baseball America, ESPN, minorleagueball.com, and Bullpen Banter. Out of all the pitchers in the 2013 draft, only four should assuredly be gone by the time the Rays pick: Mark Appel (RHP, Stanford), Jonathan Gray (RHP, Oklahoma), Kohl Stewart (RHP, St. Pius X HS), and Braden Shipley (RHP, Nevada). After that, I believe every pitcher has a chance of slipping to the Rays. The bonus of possessing two first round picks, as is the case with the Rays, is the ability to nab a player who has slipped in the draft. In the Rays case, they could select someone with the talent of a top 10-20 prospect in the draft, but who fell to pick #21 for a variety of reasons. Since the Rays have a bonus pool just exceeding six million dollars, they could allocate their resources to signing the high profile player while budgeting the rest of the bonus pool by signing less expensive players in the other slots. This could make someone such as Trey Ball affordable to the Rays. Here are some of the high upside type pitchers (from both college and high school) that the Rays may take with their first few picks. Trey Ball, Indiana H.S. (LHP, 6'6, 180 lbs.) Best Attribute: A left handed pitcher with a fastball that sits in the mid to low 90's with plenty of projection is the makings of a tantalizing prospect. Analysis: Prior to the season, there were serious questions about whether Ball would be drafted as a pitcher or as a positional player. However, improved stuff this spring accompanied by positive results have designated his future to be on the mound for now. Ball, in addition to his 90-95 mph heater, also has a feel for his breaking ball, although he only began throwing it with frequency this year. His change up also shows promise and is very advanced for a prep pitcher. There is still a slim chance a team could selects him as a positional player, but with his mix of strong pitches and excellent athleticism, his future appears brighter on the mound. Stock: Ball's stock has risen throughout the spring as his velocity has increased and featured more consistency. It is highly unlikely that he is on the board when the Rays first pick, and there is a chance he is selected in the top five picks. Sean Manaea, Indiana State (LHP, 6'5, 235 lbs.) Best Attribute: Teams that draft Manaea will hope that he reverts back to his dazzling form in last year's Cape Cod League. Analysis: Breaking out in the C

TORONTO (AP) — One start ago, Fernando Rodney cost Alex Cobb a win by blowing a save against Boston. View full post on Yahoo! Sports – MLB – Tampa Bay Rays News

The GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe. RAYS 4, Blue Jays 3 (boxscore) THE GOOD: Alex Cobb. It is getting scary just how similar Cobb is to James Shields. Cobb did not have his A+ changeup yesterday (only 2 swing-and-misses), but he still worked into the 7th inning and he still allowed just 1 run. And how did the Jays score their run off Cobb? A home run of course. And like Shields, the home runs are going to come. So far this season, 9 of the 19 runs (47.4%) Cobb has allowed have come off home runs. In 2011, James Shields’ best season, 38 of the 83 runs (45.8%) of the runs he allowed came off home runs. But the key for Cobb is that he needs to make sure they don’t happen with runners on base. And he is doing that this season. Those 9 home runs include 8 solo shots and one 2-run shot…Fernando Rodney. Things got a little shaky in the 9th inning. But before that, Rodney did something that few closers do these days. He came into the game with runners on base. In the 8th inning, the Jays loaded the bases after an error by Ryan Roberts. Rodney came in, and on the first pitch, induced an inning-ending double-play. THE BAD: Joel Peralta. Yes, Ryan Roberts’ error didn’t help matters. But even before that, Peralta had allowed two single and a walk. And part of the problem may have been that he was overthrowing. Peralta, who’s fastball is normally in the 90-91 range, was sitting 93-94 last night. THE TELLING: Matt Joyce left the game in the 7th inning with hamstring tightness. He wasn’t likely to play against the lefty today. We’ll have to wait and see if he returns tomorrow…Jose Molina has missed 3 straight games with his hamstring issue… The Rays are now 24-21, tied with the Orioles for third place and 4 games behind the Yankees. The Blue Jays have fallen to 10 games behind the Yankees… THE JUNKYARD DOGS WEBTOPIA… After talking with Yunel Escobar, Joe Maddon has changed his tune and is now OK with the home run celebration. Maddon notes that the “safe sign” is just part of his routine. Of course, yesterday, we showed that is not true. It is only part of his routine against the Blue Jays. [TampaBay.com] Joe Maddon backtracked on his comments about the umpires and the use of replay. Apparently it would have been OK for them to change a double to a foul ball. [TampaBay.com] The bad call against the Rays on Monday weren’t as bad as the two bad calls against the Orioles. [BI Sports] JP Peterson breaks down the Rays’ offensive turnaround. [TampaBaySportsCentral] Josh Freeman is the 10th best QB under 25 in the NFL. Is that a good thing? [JoeBucsFan] DOWN ON THE FARM… DURHAM 3, Norfolk 2. Huntsville 11, MONTGOMERY 7. CHARLOTTE 4, Clearwater 2. CHARLOTTE 3, Clearwater 1. BOWLING GREEN. no game scheduled © The Professor for Rays Index, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: The Hangover

Joe Maddon has become known throughout baseball as an innovator. His latest innovation: expanding instant replay in baseball. MLB does have instant replay to review home runs, but for years fans have wanted more replay. Thanks to Maddon, that is now possible. On Sunday, Matt Joyce hit a flyball down the right field line that hit off of something before landing back onto the field. The question was going to be what and the possibilities were manifold. It could have hit off the foul pole and been a home run, it could have hit off the top of the wall right in front of the foul pole and been a double, or it could have hit off the wall just to the right of the foul pole and been a foul ball. The umpires ruled it a double after it happened, but Joe Maddon wanted a review. That's where the fun began. Maddon wanted assurances from the umpires that the play could only be ruled a double even if it was not a home run because only home runs are reviewable, not doubles. Had the play been ruled a home run, Maddon argued, then it could have been ruled a foul ball, but since it was a double, Maddon believed that the only two possibilities were double or home run. The umpires rebuffed him and Maddon was ready to hold the game in protest before Joyce's hit was ruled a home run. On Tuesday, the story continued. Joe Maddon said that he heard from Andrew Friedman that the umpires were in fact right and home run reviews can be used to review other parts of plays as well. In Maddon's opinion, though, that is a ridiculous rule and opens up "a Pandora's box." Maddon talked about how Tigers manager Jim Leyland could have asked for a home run review on the play where Jason Donald was incorrectly ruled safe at first base to ruin Armando Galarraga's perfect game so the umpires could overturn the call. Or on Monday, Maddon could have asked for a home run review on Henry Blanco's flyball so he could review the play at second base where Sam Fuld's throw was in time but C.B. Bucknor ruled Blanco safe. Clearly, according to Maddon, baseball's instant replay goes beyond the commonly-known and extends into the nonsensical. In essence, Maddon said, there already is expanded replay in place. "It already exists, you didn't even know it," he said. "Other things are reviewable. You didn't even know that because once you ask for the home run to be reviewed then everything else is reviewable." Congratulations, everyone who wanted extended instant replay in baseball. You got it. What, this isn't what you had in mind? In any event, look for Maddon to at least try to exploit this bizarre quirk in the rules when it helps the Rays the most. If there is one saving grace here, it's that the umpires don't have to grant the manager a review, meaning that had Leyland requested a replay on the Galarraga play, there's no chance that it would have actually happened. But if there is ever a flyball to the outfield that is even slightly close that ends with a blown call at one of the bases, expect Maddon to go out and ask for a replay, and at that point, who knows what will happen. Here are your links for today: -Joe Maddon reversed course of the Yunel Escobar gesture saying that Escobar "did nothing wrong" and that he wants him to "remain the way he is." -Maddon also said that Matt Joyce should be fine following his early departure from Tuesday's game with a left hamstring injury. He wasn't going to start against the lefty Mark Buehrle anyway. -Within that same piece, the "other" Roberto Hernandez, the closer who is the Rays' franchise leader in saves, will represent the Rays at the MLB Draft. Creative and moderately hilarious move by the Rays. -Keith Law discussed the 2003 MLB Draft, offering a re-draft and talking about the biggest busts. Delmon Young was surprisingly ruled a bust and Law has the Rays selecting Matt Kemp first overall in the do-ever of that draft. -Rany Jazayerli and Jonah Keri ranted about the Royals' top prospect ineptitude.

We’ve got the highlights you won’t see on SportsCenter… Was trying to recall who Joel Peralta's follow-through reminded me of. Then it hit me: Bob Gibson ◄ Back Next ► Picture 1 of 14 © The Professor for Rays Index, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

Game 45, May 21, Harbor Park123456789RHEDurham Bulls (Rays)0000201003100Norfolk Tides (Orioles)000001100291Season: 27-18; Trip: 1-0Wrap, Box, Virginian-PilotChris Archer put on his best pitching performance of the year last night: A no-hitter through five innings (one walk in the 4th). A solo home run in the 6th broke up the no-hitter, but Archer left with the lead and only needed 81 pitches to get through 6 innings. Very impressive.Meanwhile the Bulls put a ton of guys on base, but had trouble getting them home. Twelve Bulls were left on base, but only three got home. Nevertheless, with Archer's start and decent followup by the bullpen, a solid win.Outside the game —Rays Catcher (and former Bull) Jose Lobaton has caught every game for the Rays since he came in for the Rays other catcher, Jose Molina, on May 18th. Meanwhile, Chris Gimenez hasn’t been in a Bulls game since a DH start on the 17th. Is he being held out in case the Rays need him? Is he even in the Bulls dugout or is he with the Rays? Did he have his passport? (The Rays are in Toronto). Is that why Craig Albernaz has started the last two games? This is the first time, as far as I know, that he has ever had back-to-back starts in his long association with the Durham Bulls. He's hitting .270 and picking off runners. Pitcher Mike Montgomery, last seen in the Bulls uniform in the front end of a double-header on April 7th, is reportedly back with the team. He’s been working on an arm problem all year, but may be ready to go back into the rotation within a few days.In case you missed him, former Bull Jason Pridie has been on the Norfolk Tides disabled list for a groin injury. Can’t honestly say I regret his bat not being in the lineup.

Charlotte still had little trouble winning their doubleheader and remaining hot. Triple-A Durham Bulls (27-18) ***Featured game of the day*** After a rough start in which he walked four his last time out, Chris Archer rebounded in Durham's 3-2 win over Norfolk. The only blemish on his line came in the sixth inning on a solo home run by Brandon Wood that cut Durham's lead to 2-1 and ended Archer's no-hit bid. He would allow two more singles in the inning, but he got former Bull Russ Canzler to ground out with two runners on to end the inning. Archer finished with one run allowed on three hits and just one walk in six innings with six strikeouts. The Bulls scored first in the fifth inning. With the bases loaded and no outs, Wil Myers hit a sac fly to put them on the board, and Shelley Duncan followed that up with a run-scoring single. Jason Bourgeois and Vince Belnome each reached base three times with two hits and a walk. Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (22-23) Montgomery fell behind early and continued to cough up insurance runs in their 11-7 loss to Huntsville. A two out double in the first inning by Cameron Seitzer gave the Biscuits a 1-0 lead, but that would be the last time they were in front Tuesday. The Stars scored two in the bottom half of the inning against Victor Mateo and added another run in the second. They did not score in the third, but unfortunately for Montgomery, that would be the only inning they kept Huntsville off the board. Mateo would exit after the fifth inning with five runs, four earned, charged against him. Montgomery was able to make the game closer with six runs scored over the last four innings, but four runs allowed in the eighth inning, including a three run homer hit off Braulio Lara, wouldn't allow them to complete the comeback. Seitzer had three of Montgomery's nine hits, including two doubles. Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (19-25) Charlotte scored a pair of runs late to top Clearwater 4-2 in game one. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when Hector Guevara delivered a two out, two run single to give the Stone Crabs a 2-0 lead. It was short lived though, as Clearwater scored twice in the sixth to tie it up. In the bottom half of the inning, three two out hits, including doubles by Guevara and Willie Argo, gave Charlotte the two final runs of the game. Guevara and Argo each drove in a pair of runs. Jesse Hahn dominated yet again, striking out four and walking none in four more scoreless innings. After allowing a first inning run, Charlotte rebounded quickly in game two to win 3-1. Kes Carter came up with the big hit of the game in the second inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, Carter cleared them with a triple, and the scoring would be done for the game. Despite only allowing one run, Jake Floethe struggled in his first start of the season. He only lasted 4.2 innings and walked four while only striking out three. Making his first appearance of 2012, Christopher Kirsch picked up the win with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief. Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (27-16) Bowling Green was off. CLICK HERE FOR ALL BOX SCORES Star of the day- Archer had one of his best efforts of the season Tuesday. Goat of the day- Montgomery's pitching staff had a brutal day. Today's games (probables courtesy of milb.com) Durham @ Norfolk 6:35 PM (MiLB.TV)Alex Torres (2-2, 2.39) v. Josh Stinton (2-1, 3.68) Montgomery is off Charlotte v. Clearwater 6:30 PMRyan Carpenter* (3-3, 3.33) v. Nick Hernandez* (3-1, 3.64) Bowling Green v. Great Lakes 6:30 PM DOUBLEHEADERBlake Snell (1-4, 3.16) v. Lindsey Caughel (0-3, 2.00)TBA v. TBA Both games will be seven innings *Listed as TBA on milb.com Scouting the opposition Norfolk Tides (Baltimore)30-15 (1st in IL South)Offense: 239 R (3rd) .798 OPS (2nd)Pitching: 3.89 ERA (8th) 1.35 WHIP (6th)Top 30 Prospects: IF Jonathan Schoop (3), OF L.J. Hoes (6), RHP Steve Johnson (16), LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (21), LHP M

The beginning of the game was highlighted by excellent play from the Rays outfield both offensively and defensively. With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, Edwin Encarnacion hit a hard line drive that landed on the left field warning track and bounced against the wall. Kelly Johnson fielded it off the wall like he had been playing outfield his whole career and fired a (one hop) strike to second base to get EE3 at second. Then, in the next half inning, Johnson blasted his eighth home run of the season to straight center field. Evan Longoria had doubled and scored after two groundouts, so Johnson's homer brought the score to 2-0. To start the next frame Adam Lind hit a fly ball hard to deep right center. Desmond Jennings ranged back, covering a ton of ground, and then made the catch look simple even though it was at an awkward angle over his shoulder. He even managed to avoid crashing into the wall. A lesser fielder would have made that play dramatic or not made it at all, but Jennings is far too smooth for that. Then, following Johnson's lead, Jennings hit his fifth homer on the first pitch of the next half inning. Singles from Matt Joyce, Evan Longoria, and Luke Scott (with a few fielder's choices in between) stretched the lead to 4-0. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Jays finally got on the board when Colby Rasmus guessed right on a frontdoor sinker that caught a bit too much of the plate. Rasmus's pulled shot was the definition of a no-doubter, and a reminder of why he was once such a well regarded up-and-coming center fielder. The sixth inning was all about Yunel Escobar and the shift. The first two outs came on groundballs more or less up the middle that Escobar fielded routinely and converted into easy outs at first. Then Jose Bautista hit a grounder deep into the hole between shortstop and third. Escobar, who was shifted slightly to pull, ranged far back to his right but muffed the backhand grab, having the ball go off the edge of his glove and into left field. It would have been a tough throw even if he had made the grab cleanly but he'd have had a better chance playing straight up. After a walk from Encarnacion raised the leverage, Adam Lind hit a hard grounder straight back over the mound that looked sure to be a hit, but the shift giveth to the Blue Jays and the shift taketh away. Escobar was already positioned near second base, and he was able to knock the ball down and throw Lind out from his knees to end the inning. If you just looked at the box score, you might have thought that Alex Cobb didn't pitch all that well. While he only allowed three hits and two walks, he also only struck out two batters. You'd be wrong. He threw his fastball 57% of the time and didn't get a ton of whiffs (two on the fastball, three on 29 changeups, none on 17 curves), but he had Toronto baffled. They were reaching for pitches all over the zone, making weak contact and mostly hitting ground balls. Of the 20 balls in play that Cobb allowed, 15 were grounders. That's a recipe for success. Cobb's night ended one out into the seventh inning when Brett Lawrie hit a hard grounder in Longoria's direction. Longoria made a great diving stop and threw mostly on target to first, but Loney couldn't handle the throw and it bounced past him and into the stands. With Cobb at 107 pitches and the lefty Rasmus up, Joe Maddon made the switch to Jake McGee, who promptly overpowered Rasmus (popup foul) and Mark DeRosa (strikeout swinging). Peralta came on in his usual spot as eighth inning setup man with a difficult job to do, first facing Munenori Kawasaki, the nine hitter, before needing to run through the teeth of the Jays lineup. Kawasaki reached for a good low pitch from Peralta and plopped it into center field for a soft single. Melky Cabrera worked a seven pitch at bat, fouling off many pitches, before finally earning a walk and bringing the tying run to the plate in the form of the fearsome Jose Bautista. When Bautista hit a l

BALTIMORE — Nate McLouth led off the bottom of the 10th inning with a home run off Vidal Nuno, and the Baltimore Orioles snapped a six-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the New York Yankees,. View full post on Yahoo! Sports – MLB – Tampa Bay Rays News